I got my new macbook air 2012 / 13" with ML preinstalled. However, I don't know how to get the original copy of ML for the purpose i.e. OS Reinstallation. Is it through Mac App Store? I checked in Mac App Store, still I have to buy it, which I thought I should get it for free. I already registered my machine to apple as well.

I got my new macbook air 2012 / 13" with ML preinstalled. However, I don't know how to get the original copy of ML for the purpose i.e. OS Reinstallation. Is it through Mac App Store? I checked in Mac App Store, still I have to buy it, which I thought I should get it for free. I already registered my machine to apple as well.

Thanks for help.

Why would you want to do this?
If you need to restore your machine to factory fresh, hold down command+r at boot, and you'll boot into recovery, where you can reinstall from a netimage of OSX. If you mean to install on another machine - you can't do that. Just buy it - it's 20 dollars for crying out loud.

Why would you want to do this?
If you need to restore your machine to factory fresh, hold down command+r at boot, and you'll boot into recovery, where you can reinstall from a netimage of OSX. If you mean to install on another machine - you can't do that. Just buy it - it's 20 dollars for crying out loud.

I'm with the op, it's annoying that you can't easily get a binary version. What if i'm paranoid and want a reinstall thumbdrive available just in case for an offline reinstall? That's not so far fetched.

OP: If you got ML from the mac app store, you can extract the binary from the download file. Alternatively, there are some instructions available on how to use the command-r recovery to obtain the binary without actually reinstalling. Unfortunately, the easiest way to obtain it though bittorrent or something.

I went through pains to make a copy for myself and they don't make it easy. Took me hours to get a working thumb drive.

All this cloud stuff no good.

That's just... dumb- not saying you are, just the idea that "if I can't hold it I don't own it" kind of thing. ML restore works offline in fixing the system to a useable point, if you want to restore it all the way, go to a starbucks if you can't get internet at home for some odd reason.

If you're on Mars, however - Can't help you there - ask Nasa. (In reference to curiosity's "system upgrade" after it landed - they wiped and restored a robot from millions of miles away... from the "cloud")

That's just... dumb- not saying you are, just the idea that "if I can't hold it I don't own it" kind of thing. ML restore works offline in fixing the system to a useable point, if you want to restore it all the way, go to a starbucks if you can't get internet at home for some odd reason.

If you're on Mars, however - Can't help you there - ask Nasa. (In reference to curiosity's "system upgrade" after it landed - they wiped and restored a robot from millions of miles away... from the "cloud")

What if your hard drive crashes? You know, a common thing to have happen. What's your solution then?

I've been doing this for a long time and I want control of my stuff too and not have to rely on the Internet and some far-away server when I need to re-install. Apple making it difficult - FAIL.

By the same token I just spent 2 days to find out, Outlook Mac doesn't sync with my iPhone easily. All the work-around solutions are for Outlook Windows only. Apple is pointing fingers at MS. Only Apple's own calendar/reminder offering sux. WTF.

That's just... dumb- not saying you are, just the idea that "if I can't hold it I don't own it" kind of thing. ML restore works offline in fixing the system to a useable point, if you want to restore it all the way, go to a starbucks if you can't get internet at home for some odd reason.

If you're on Mars, however - Can't help you there - ask Nasa. (In reference to curiosity's "system upgrade" after it landed - they wiped and restored a robot from millions of miles away... from the "cloud")

The benefit of it being on a thumb drive is that you don't need to worry about slow internet , download timing out, Applw's servers doing maintanance, time of the download. If you have it on a USB, you have. You are ready to go and don't need to wait on the other parts.

I got my new macbook air 2012 / 13" with ML preinstalled. However, I don't know how to get the original copy of ML for the purpose i.e. OS Reinstallation. Is it through Mac App Store? I checked in Mac App Store, still I have to buy it, which I thought I should get it for free. I already registered my machine to apple as well.

Thanks for help.

You won't get ML free from the App store because you did not buy it there. You can however get a full installer for your machine from Apple's servers using this process. Then use the installer file you downloaded along with this free app and a 8GB USB key to make your USB key installer.

1. Use pre-installed binary in the machine by activating Cmd-R during reboot
2. If I still want to get free purchase from Apple, I might follow the OSX Mountain Lion update program (max. 30 days after purchased)

The benefit of it being on a thumb drive is that you don't need to worry about slow internet , download timing out, Applw's servers doing maintanance, time of the download. If you have it on a USB, you have. You are ready to go and don't need to wait on the other parts.

would it be the one that shipped with the machine or the one that was last on it?

Yes, even with a new drive; it'll use Ethernet or Wi-Fi to pull down the recovery image (into RAM) and will boot from that. When you go through the installation it'll create a new recovery partition containing the image.

I'm not sure which OS version you'll end up with. My suspicion is that you'd get whichever the machine shipped with. My machine shipped with 10.6 so it asks for App Store account details to confirm that I have a licence, but I believe that machines shipped with 10.7 or 10.8 will skip that account step.

Yes, even with a new drive; it'll use Ethernet or Wi-Fi to pull down the recovery image (into RAM) and will boot from that. When you go through the installation it'll create a new recovery partition containing the image.

I'm not sure which OS version you'll end up with. My suspicion is that you'd get whichever the machine shipped with. My machine shipped with 10.6 so it asks for App Store account details to confirm that I have a licence, but I believe that machines shipped with 10.7 or 10.8 will skip that account step.

I ran into this with lion. While fooling around trying to download it for free I ended up buying it by mistake from the app store. I then emailed Apple, explained the situation and asked for a refund, which they issued.

I'm not sure which OS version you'll end up with. My suspicion is that you'd get whichever the machine shipped with. My machine shipped with 10.6 so it asks for App Store account details to confirm that I have a licence, but I believe that machines shipped with 10.7 or 10.8 will skip that account step.

This is correct, you will get whatever OS the machine shipped with, be that Lion or Mountain Lion. Internet recovery with a new, blank drive will check Apple's servers for the OS that came with that serial number and install it.

This is a nice feature, but downloading a 4.7GB OS over hotel wifi is really not workable so I understand OP's desire for a USB key OS installer on the road.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by krravi

I made that USB drive myself for my iMac but I am still wondering how a 650 MB USB installs a multi GB OS...

It downloads the OS. That recovery utility Apple has just uses a 1GB USB drive that only has the Recovery HD on it, so it allows you to boot from the USB key and use Disk Utility and start the installer... then the installer downloads the 4.7GB OS over the Internet.

Apple has surely done a horrible job of making all this clear to users.

This is different than the full install USB key I mentioned in my earlier post the does contain the entire OS and requires no download.

This is correct, you will get whatever OS the machine shipped with, be that Lion or Mountain Lion. Internet recovery with a new, blank drive will check Apple's servers for the OS that came with that serial number and install it.

This is a nice feature, but downloading a 4.7GB OS over hotel wifi is really not workable so I understand OP's desire for a USB key OS installer on the road.

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It downloads the OS. That recovery utility Apple has just uses a 1GB USB drive that only has the Recovery HD on it, so it allows you to boot from the USB key and use Disk Utility and start the installer... then the installer downloads the 4.7GB OS over the Internet.

Apple has surely done a horrible job of making all this clear to users.

This is different than the full install USB key I mentioned in my earlier post the does contain the entire OS and requires no download.

You won't get ML free from the App store because you did not buy it there. You can however get a full installer for your machine from Apple's servers using this process. Then use the installer file you downloaded along with this free app and a 8GB USB key to make your USB key installer.